Finding
by The Golden Arrow
Summary: Since when has the trick staircase at Hogwarts sent people places? Since it sent Harry to a forbidden chamber, where he comes across a lost soul. To free her, he needs the help of Ron and Hermione, and...his past.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The air was stifling in the cold, dark chamber. Harry didn't know how he got in there, but there he was. He remembered his foot getting stuck in the trick staircase, and he remembered he had felt a pulling sensation on his leg. Then everything had gone dark. "If I don't find a way to get out of here quick, I'll be late for Potions," he murmured to himself. Just thinking of what Snape would do if he was late sent a cold, ominous shiver down his spine. His feet hit the stone floor and sent forlorn echoes throughout the chamber, bouncing off walls. Harry peered into the darkness. Taking out his wand, he gave it a flick and muttered, "Lumos!" The tip of it illuminated just enough for him to see where he was going. The ceiling was low and there were a few pillars, but other than that the room seemed wide and spacious. "Err, h-hello?" He called out softly. _Stupid git_, he thought to himself._ If there is anything in this place, it isn't likely to be friendly. I wouldn't want to draw attention to myself_.

"Helllooo?" Harry spun around so fast he almost collided with a- "Agh!" The shock and surprise sent him falling to the damp ground. Luckily, his hands got there before his head. He was able to stop himself before he got a concussion. After taking a few deep breaths, he slowly turned his head to look up at the sad, disconsolate face. Her skin was pale, her eyes were green and penetratingly staring into his, and her hair lay in soft, black curls, enveloping her thin face. She was in an old black cloak, and was barefoot. She was holding up a torch. "And you are?" Her mouthed shaped the three words with great frailty, as if she could hardly bare to move her blue lips. Harry found himself not really knowing who he was. He didn't know _what_ she was. She was not a ghost; he has seen enough of them to now what they looked like. But she was _transparent_, in some form. Unlike a ghost, he could not see through her, to whatever she was in front of. But, she did not seem solid either. This perplexed him deeply, and his curiosity finally defeated his fear. "I'd like to know the same thing." He breathed the words so quietly; she had to lean over him slightly to hear her. She laughed. Her laugh was desolate and seemed more like a cry, but it also shared a hint that it was once melodious and resonant.

"Who am I? Who am I!" She collapsed into a fit of giggles before she finally gasped a full breath of air and sighed sadly. "Oh sir, if only I knew myself who I was."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

After a millennium, she stopped giggling… and started to laugh so hard Harry started to worry her appendix would fall out or something. If she had an appendix.

Harry was still very discombobulated about the situation. That was just the tip of the iceberg though. The girl wasn't exactly helping either. In Harry's eyes she was sad one minute and the next, she was shaking so hard with laughter at something that wasn't funny at all. Her black curls would bounce up and down as her shoulders shook. Once he stood up, he realized he was not that much taller than the mysterious girl. Once he had drawn to his full height, her laughing subsided so fast, like someone had spun the volume dial on low. She looked up at him and she suddenly backed up, almost tripping on an inconspicuous. An obvious gasp escaped her lips, sending a chill down his spine.

Harry found himself gasping as well. He didn't know who she was, but something about her, something rang a bell. Something that made him extremely nauseous. That is when he really _did_ faint.

Meanwhile in Potions, Ron and Hermione were adding three pieces of diligently cut up frogs' legs; or so that was what they were supposed to be doing. Instead, as usual, Hermione was whispering under her breath, guiding Ron and helping him make the potion without blowing his cauldron up. Around the dungeon, various _pops_ of potions in bubbling, heat up cauldrons vibrated off the stone walls.

Snape was pacing up and down the room. When he came near Ron and Hermione, he snapped, "Where is Potter. Is he ill? Or has he simply decided that that thick head of his cannot learn anything more?" Snickers from one side of the room floated up to Ron's ears, causing them to turn a slight red. He could only guess who would laugh at something like that.

* * *

Fortunately, they were saved by a sharp _knock, knock_ on the door of the dungeon. Smirking, Snape, swirling his cloak, took large, swift steps to the door. When he opened it, Professor McGonagall, unmoving, said as if on cue, "Good day Professor. On orders of the Headmaster, I must inform you that Mr. Potter is not attending class today due to a sudden illness. Thank you." She ended, her mouth snapping shut into a thin line _Strange_, Hermione thought. "He seemed fine in Herbology though," Ron murmured to Hermione. Hermione had known Professor McGonagall long enough and well enough to tell that there was something she was keeping from Snap. Something about Harry. 

Harry woke up two hours later to see an old face hovering above his. Dumbledore straightened , seeing that Harry was awake. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "So, may I ask the reason you were wandering the forbidden chamber on the fourth floor of the castle? Or were you so tired of mixing potions that you decided to get lost instead?" His smile faded slightly. "How did you get there?"

Harry told Dumbledore everything. Throughout his tale, Dumbledore made no sounds at all, though occasionally nodding, and stroking his never ending beard. When Harry finished, he asked for an explanation. Who was the mysterious girl? What was she? Why wasn't Snape storming into the hospital wing, where Harry was lying, demanding a reason why he had missed class today? Although Harry was glad he hadn't.


End file.
